HomeKit Insider Integrating Apple Home & Siri Shortcuts with Guest Matthew Cassinelli
Feb 2, 2026
Matthew Cassinelli, Shortcuts and automation expert who worked on Workflow and Apple Shortcuts, joins to explore smart home automation. They cover converting automations to shortcuts and running them via HomePod. Topics include conditional logic for reliable toggles, real-world examples like garden watering, and the role of app intents and AI in future home interfaces.
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Toddler Confuses Smart Lock Unlocking
- Andrew shared a real problem where his toddler pokes the smart lock and confuses unlocking behavior.
- He considered an NFC wrist tag or Apple Watch as practical fixes until the child grows into UWB unlocking.
Local HomeKit Outlives Cloud Services
- Wemo's server shutdown shows cloud-dependent devices can die while HomeKit-integrated accessories keep working locally.
- Apple Home users often remain unaffected because local HomeKit functionality doesn't rely on vendor clouds.
Shortcuts vs Home Automations
- Shortcuts (Workflow) evolved into a powerful automation platform integrated with Siri and apps.
- Home automations run on your HomePod hub and personal automations run on your device, creating an important split in capabilities.